Hail and fare thee well to my Lumix TZ10

It still works as well as it always did, but my standards for what I want a photo to look like have gone up to the point when I take a photo with the Lumix, I find it lacking. Because of using pro level lenses and cameras, I'm quicker to spot artifacts, pixelations, and excessive noise/distortions. I really noticed it with the WCC holiday party photographs.

Wing and I headed to Camera Electronics to get some gift certificates for two fellow budding shutterbugs. I had brought my prepaid Visa card (rebate for AC installation) which was going to expire, and I started looking at the other point&shoots. I did stray over to the Lumix brand, but again thought of how I have tried two of them, and each one falling short of the mark, and not really wanting to go through that again. Don't get me wrong, they are great for every day happy snappers, or average user, but for what I wanted it for, no.

So, waited until someone was available, and told him what I was looking for, and what I needed. Also told him price wasn't really an issue, as the prepaid card would take care of most of it. The most salient point was I had to have good photo quality. Zoom is good, but there is no use for 10x zoom when you get artifacts, distortions and severe noise. A 5x zoom with sharp clear images is fine by me! It was down to three cameras. A Fuji X10, the Canon Powershot G12, and Canon Powershot S95.

I tried them all out. Both the Canon cameras took identically great photos. The S95 shot in RAW and had a built in ND filter, was quick to be ready between shots. I did find the S95 a bit fiddly and small. I know small is good, but not when your hands get in their own way trying to set it up. I liked the Fuji, especially that f/2.0 feature. It was easy to navigate, and took great photos. I also liked the Canon G12, not only picture quality, but built in ND filter. Each one was full of pros, each one had at least one 'con', but the con could easily overcome if one knows what to do.

So, it came down to these three. I asked Saul "You know what I do, and you know what quality I need even a 'point and shoot' to do. Price isn't a problem, neither is having to learn the bells and whistles, because I would have to so that with either one (have to do that was different models of Canon already, so that's not a hardship), so which one would you seriously recommend."

He put his had on one, the 'middle' priced one and told me "This is the one I have sold to professional photographers to use as a back up camera." It wasn't the most expensive one, but after all the trying, and with that recommendation, I selected the Canon Powershot G12. And here's why:


Lumix TZ10 Sample: indoor lighting, not overly well lit, flash needed. You can see the 'fuzzy' noise and artifacts, edges blurred.



Canon G12 sample: again, indoor lighting, not overly well lit, flash needed.




The different between the two is striking. Neither was processed, no noise reduction or image improvements. WYSIWYG.

So, will be boxing up the Lumix w/ extra battery, etc and putting it up for adoption (sale).